MikeLigalig.com

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

Countering allegations that the 13 Isuzu Crosswinds for provincial board members is overpriced, Gov. Erico Aumentado said the bidding and award of the purchase contract is in order.

The vehicle purchase is funded out of a P10.8 million savings of the provincial government from salaries of unfilled positions in its different offices.

Aumentado personally presented a computation of the purchase of the 13 brand new vehicles refuting claims that the Crosswinds are overpriced by at least P17,000 each.

The bidding and award of the vehicle purchase already raised doubts when only one bidder, Isuzu Mandaue, submitted a proposal.

According to Aumentado, the approved budget of the contract (ABC) was P10,666,914.83 or P820,531.90 for each unit. This unit price is allegedly P17,000 higher than the selling price of a local Isuzu dealer.

The submitted price of Isuzu Mandaue exactly matched the ABC.
However, the governor justified that due to government procurement rules which requires deductions of 1% for EVAT and a withholding tax of 5%, the net cost of each unit is already P771,709.41.

Aumentado said the net price is much lower than the alleged selling price of a local supplier which is P783,000.

The purchase of new vehicles for provincial board members provoked a public debate as most of the existing vehicles of the lawmakers are still serviceable.

Board members explained that the purchase of new vehicles were necessary for them to efficiently attend to the needs and concerns of their constituents.

Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera himself said that the vehicles  are “a necessity rather than a luxury”.

The plan to buy new vehicles started in 2005, when Herrera objected to the high maintenance and repair costs incurred by the provincial government on the old vehicles.

Along with free cars comes free gas and exemption of registration and taxxes and free personal useage when the rest of us tax paying and law abiding natives and legal residents are paying dearly and waiting dearly for public transportation useage?

Walay Klaro Jyud!

why 13?